'This is our moment.' Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, Rep. Melanie Stansbury address joint session of NM lawmakers

SANTA FE - In an emotional return to the chamber where his father, Ben Luján, Sr., served as Speaker for 11 years, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., addressed a joint session of the New Mexico Legislature on Tuesday.

“To be surrounded by friends and family — that’s what this body is,” Luján said. He shared memories of growing up in Northern New Mexico and how his family instilled in him a sense of values and service. Luján also spoke about the ways he has worked across the aisle to address the needs of New Mexicans during his time in the Senate.

“I’m not going to tell you how to do it,” Luján told legislators. “I trust you to do it — to do the right thing.”

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., a former member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, also addressed the lawmakers. She recognized the diversity in the Legislature, and noted that, as the daughter of a seamstress and single mom, “I know what it’s like to struggle.”

Stansbury touted the New Mexico delegation's efforts to improve veteran benefits, more than $1 billion in recent federal investments in the state, and a recently-passed bill to invest in New Mexico's STEM economy. She urged lawmakers to protect voting rights and noted the urgency of tackling drought and climate change.

“This is the moment to seize our destiny, to learn from our ancestors from every corner of our state. This is our moment,” Stansbury said.

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This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, Rep. Melanie Stansbury address joint session of NM lawmakers